The Touch of Your Lips
by Abrasucks Malfoy
Summary: "There was something about him that drew her close. She was like Pandora and he, the box. There were so many secrets hidden in him as if they were only meant for her to know."
1. Stolen Kiss

** A/N:** Hello, there. This was my first ever attempt at a Cato/Katniss. Tell me what you think, yea? And then maybe I'll write more. x

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Grey eyes faced her. The girl staring back at her was beyond beautiful, as radiant as the sun. She turned away from the mirror. _What had they done to her?_ She looked around the room – white walls, a high ceiling with a chandelier dangling on top, a white vanity table with a chair, a plush velvet couch on the side and a full length window which opened to a balcony. She was looking for something, something familiar to comfort her, to remind her of a place that she dared not to think of – _home_. She found no reassurance in that room whatsoever and it was eating her up slowly. She leaned against the table and took a shaky breath, as if it would take off all the tension in her body.

Her thoughts lingered to her family, to Prim. No hour passed by when she did not think of Prim – the only person whom she was sure she loved. When she left, it was an ache to see her tears, to see her in such pain. To think, it was her that caused the tears to fall from her tiny but beautiful face. Prim always reminded her of her father. An ache shot through her. She was hollow, now that she was away from them. Tears threatened and she had to take a steady breath to stop it from falling. No, she was not going to cry. She forbade it. She refused to cry. She was going to see Prim again, surely. She was going to embrace her once more. There was no way that the last time she would see Prim was when she was crying. Another shot of pain pulsed through her, and she shook it away and shoved her thoughts of Prim, her father away. She missed her, there was no denying that, but she was going to do anything to go home to see her soon.

A breeze ran through her room, and she could feel it on her bare back. A shiver ran through her. She wrapped her arms around herself and started rubbing her upper arms. She looked around the room to see that the window was slightly open. She continued to rub her arms for heat as she walked slowly to the window for the purpose of closing it. However, as she approached the window, she couldn't feel how cold it was anymore. She couldn't feel anything anymore. _Numb, but not quite._ She walked out into the balcony and stared at the horizon where the orange met the blue. The beauty of the horizon was diffused by the blue aura that surrounded the building.

She sighed as a picture of the very same scene ran through her head. _His smile – _she remembered it. The countless sunsets they watched after they had gone hunting. The way the wind blew as they sat on top of a hill, sharing bread or whatever they caught. Although, a heavy feeling formed in her chest and she was finding it hard to breathe. She took deep steadying breaths in the hope of making the feeling disappear but it didn't work. His face flickered on her mind again and she groaned in frustration._ NO._ _What was she doing to herself? _She forced herself to think of anything else but them. She abandoned all thought of him, of Prim, of _home_, and shoved it to the back of her mind. She was not going to think of any of them until the games were over, until she emerged as the victor.

She stared at the horizon again. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful sight to see – something the people who enjoy the killing of the innocent didn't deserve to see. The beauty would be wasted on such people. She took a gulp of air, and retreated back into the room. She turned to close that window and secure it in place when she heard the door to the room open and close behind her.

"Cinna," she said, twisting the knob to lock it. "Is it tim-" she turned around and stopped in mid-sentence. She had turned around and found the intense gaze of blue eyes.

She froze, her lips parted as she took a deep breath. _What was he doing here?_ He moved inside the room with the ferocity of an animal and stopped right in front of her until she was looking up at him – his gaze intense as if he was a man with a mission. Before she could say anything, his lips found hers. He pushed her back to the window, his hands on her hips. As her body met the surface of the window, his hands trailed up her body to frame her face, tilting it up to meet his. She felt the weight of his body on her and at that moment, she felt herself kissing him back, countering him perfectly.

He was ruthless with his kisses, stopping only to breathe, but at an instant, his lips would be on hers again. She placed her hands on his arms, feeling the ripple of his muscles as he moved his hands to the back of her head, holding her in place. Their tongues fought for dominance. They moved in perfect countering to one another, pouring all they felt into the kiss. But in time, his kisses became tender and slow – something she was sure that he couldn't do. One of his hands moved down her body to her waist and pulled her closer to him while the other stroked her cheek. He pulled away, leaning his forehead on hers. He opened his eyes, and their gaze met. Katniss saw something in him that she had never seen before – vulnerability.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that. Now, you know." He said his voice low. He placed a tender kiss on her lips once more because stalking out of the room without so much as a backwards glance, leaving her as confused as ever. His words floated in the air.

Her hands went to her lips involuntarily as she stared at the door. They were numb. She felt something in the pits of her stomach as if something was fluttering inside her. Whatever it was, it needed to die. She was trying to calm her breathing, but she couldn't seem to. She couldn't move from where she stood, scared that if she attempted to walk, her legs would give up on her and she would fall to the ground. _Now she knew what? _She had absolutely no idea.

The door opened and her heart skipped a beat and she stiffened. A head poked in and she felt herself as she saw Cinna's bright smile. "Come on, girl on fire," he said, going inside the room and walking towards her to take her hand. He looked at her, and raised an eyebrow. "What happened to your lipstick?" He asked her and she shrugged in response as she felt the heat on her cheeks. "Here," he said, pulling out the tube, opening it, and applying it on her. "Now, you're perfect," he said, tugging her hand, and started slowly walking towards the door. She was following behind him, her hand clamped around his. He looked back and grinned, "It's show time."

She was thankful that she found the ability to walk again. They walked through the hallways, and she found herself wondering which room belonged to Cato, but quickly dismissed the thought. She was frustrated yet happy at the same time. And happiness wasn't a feeling she knew and could tolerate well, which only frustrated her more. They arrived at the studio. Cinna motioned for her to sit next to Peeta who was smiling widely at her. She looked uncertainly at Cinna and he nodded, encouraging her. "Just remember what we talked about, Katniss," he said, reassuringly.

She took her spot beside Peeta, not before shooting a glance at Cato who was as intimidating and breathtakingly beautiful as ever in his silver suit. She knew from day one that he was bad news and could be her biggest enemy in the arena. She would have to kill him eventually. She couldn't make ties now. Yet, there was something about him that drew her close. She was like Pandora and he, the box. There were so many secrets hidden in him as if they were only meant for her to know.

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**A/N: **Review, please. I would love to know what you think. x


	2. In The Arena

**A/N: **My friend gave me another prompt which I wrote another Catniss to. I just had to incorporate the line, "Do your worst, girl on fire" to the fic. She was the same one who gave me my prompt for the last one, so I just made it into a second chapter for this. I'm sorry if there are any grammatical errors or wrong usage of pronouns. It's late at night and I'm exhausted. Just write it in the reviews and I'll be glad to change it. Thank you! And don't forget to review. :)

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**IN THE ARENA (DAY FOUR):**

After hearing her pack drop to the ground, she grabbed hold of the tree and started her way down. The pack was too heavy for her to carry, and her bow made it even harder for her to maneuver herself down the tree. After debating for a few minutes, she decided to drop the bag down with her bow and climb quickly, but carefully down since the last thing she wanted was a broken leg to slow her. Being two feet from the ground, she jumped down from the branch where she was standing. As she landed, almost immediately, she noticed something was wrong: her bag wasn't where it landed.

She stood rooted at the spot from where she fell. She felt someone's gaze on her back, causing the hairs on the back of neck to stand. She stayed frigid, gathering the courage to turn. Seconds passed and until she finally got the courage to do so. She took a deep breath, calming herself. She turned around and blue eyes met grey. She stood her ground, opposite him and only a few feet apart. Instinct told her to flee, but she couldn't seem to move. She couldn't face him and yet, she couldn't run. There wasn't anything she could do except stare into his blue eyes and mirror the intensity of his stare. She had hoped and prayed even that someone – anyone else – would kill him before she had the chance to. But night after night, she watched for his face in the night sky and was rewarded with nothing. _Of course, no one would be able to kill him. _She might have to, but she decided not to think of that.

She felt herself lean forward to him. Her pulse increased and her breathing became heavy as if the air that she breathed would take away the tension from her body. She stood there, motionless, watching felt her cheeks heat at the very sight of him. He was different but with his messy hair, he seemed as ravishing as ever. His angelic face, scarred by a cut that went from the end of his eye to his jaw, was watching her carefully. He, too, was watching her carefully. His eyes travelled down and back up. She squirmed under his gaze – she shifted her weight from foot to foot. She couldn't seem to stop fidgeting, and yet, she couldn't find it in herself to run away.

The very same fluttering in her stomach appeared as she remembered what happened a few days ago before the interview happened. She remembered it – the way his lips felt on hers; his bruising kisses which she returned; the way his hands wove themselves to her hair as he cradled her head; the way his body pushed against her. She remembered every single detail, especially the color of his eyes and how intense they were as he stared into hers. A shiver ran through her and saw the side of his lips twitch up in amusement. His eyes grew darker as he regarded her intently, probably remembering the same things she was.

"Well, well, what do we have here, if it isn't the girl on fire, herself," he raised his eyebrow, smirking at her. "Can't do much without this, can you?" He asked, in a sarcastic tone, holding up the bow with a finger positioned where the string met the wood.

She took a deep breath and smiled coyly at him. "Are you sure that's the only one I have?" She arched her eyebrow, hoping that he wouldn't call her bluff. "I'm hurt," she said in a mocking tone as she raised her hand to her chest as if in shock.

He laughed a carefree laugh, but it didn't reach his eyes. He took a step towards her, dropping her bow on top of her bag which was beside his foot. She dropped her hand from her mouth as she took a step back. "Oh, believe me," he said, still moving closer. "There are many other things that I want to do with you, and hurting you isn't one of them," he said, his eyes had a mischievous glint to it.

He took a few steps closer towards her until there was nothing between them. He was a head taller than her, but she couldn't bear look him in the eye. She looked everywhere, but. She felt herself leaning towards him, inhaling his scent. She resisted the urge to look at him and put her arms around his neck. She felt his arms on her waist, holding her in place. She could feel and see every breath he took with each passing second. She felt his hands slide up her body; one caressing her neck and the other to the bottom of her chin, as he gently pushed her to look up at him.

As soon as their eyes met, she felt it – the current pulsing them together. Without thinking, she tilted her face up to his - somewhat an invitation to kiss her as she closed her eyes. He didn't kiss her though, but instead, kept looking at her beautiful face, taking her in – she was radiant. What he read in the papers proved to be true, she had the face that could kill. He held his breath as her eyes fluttered open and looked at him intently. His eyes grew darker – pupils dilated. She felt his breathing accelerate as she pushed her body against him. He closed his eyes taking the feeling of her against his body in.

She took this moment to take the knife hidden on the back of her pants and put it against his neck. He smiled a genuine smile as he opened his eyes. "Not bad," he said, clearly impressed. He searched her eyes, and his smile vanished. His gaze became icy as he stared at her. "Do your worst, girl on fire," he said harshly, moving his head forward so that the knife was digging on his neck, just not enough to cut yet. She did nothing and her hand started shaking. She swallowed, tried to gather all the courage she had, but nothing happened. "DO IT!" he said, louder and stronger than before, looking her dead in the eyes. "KILL ME!" He shouted even louder that it caused her to jump.

She stood there with tears threatening to fall. Her hand was shaking against his neck, but still she couldn't bring herself to kill the beautiful man in front of her. His gaze remained icy on her, and silence spread around them. Nothing moved, except for their chests and the leaves when the breeze came by. "Kill me," he commanded her in a whisper, taunting her.

The knife fell noisily to the ground as he took hold of her face, and kissed her. She gasped at the tenacity of the kiss, not sure whether to push away or move closer. He chose for her as his hands slid down her body to her waist where she clasped the sides and brought her closer to him. Their tongues met like an exotic dance as they fought and countered each other perfectly. Her fingers found his hair and intertwined themselves to it. Desire coursed through their veins as they paused only to take a breath. He pushed her against the tree, and put his hands on the sides of her head to support himself. Their kisses slowed, became sensual – became more reverent than savage. He seduced her with his tongue as well as his hands that were still on her, stroking her. Their heads moved in perfect synchronization. He hands fell to his shoulders then to his back to hold him close.

He pulled away, only to have her follow his direction. She kept her eyes closed, as her body tensed and her hands slowly drop to her sides. She was getting ready for the pain from the knife, but instead felt nothing. He rubbed his nose against hers. He planted kisses from the corner to her mouth to her ear, where he lingered. "Until next time, girl on fire," he moved away, not before planting a soft kiss on her lips. She opened her eyes to the sight of him running in the opposite direction – her bow and pack still on the ground where he left it.

_Next time?_

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A/N: So what do you think? Is it too short? Hahaha! Uhm, I'll most probably put another chapter to this so enjoy this one for now. Thank you for following/favoriting me on here! And and and thank you for reviewing in advance! Thank you for reading too. x


	3. No Secrets

**A/N: **Someone sent me a review about how she was interested to see how Haymitch would react... and that was initially what I wanted this chapter to be about so I started writing it. Thank you for following and reviewing! Please please please please keep doing so because it's a big help! If there are any grammatical/pronoun errors, please do tell me so I can edit it. I wrote this in a hurry so I'm sorry if there are a lot! Don't forget to review.

Oh, and I'm sorry if I made someone sort of out-of-character but it had to be done in order to keep this story rolling. I didn't put any labels, but I'm pretty sure you know who's talking in every line break. Alrights. Don't forget to review! x

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He couldn't move. He stood there, watching him stalk away in the opposite direction as she stood, dumbstruck. What the hell just happened? He wanted to scream but there was no sound that left him. He wanted to run, but he remained rooted at point. Shock and then rage coursed through him. What had he just seen? He loved her, damn it! Wasn't it apparent enough? He even admitted it on television during the interviews as humiliating as it was, at least everyone knew she was his… not everyone, apparently.

He had done everything for her! He killed the tributes that came so close to murdering her. He followed her to keep her safe! And when the careers took him in, he led them away from her. He was risking his life to save hers! And what was she doing in return? Toying with the head career, himself? How dare she! He took a deep breath and shook his head in exasperation. He would never forgive them, most especially her.

He was always the boy with the bread to her, huh? He was always the sweet boy who could do no wrong and wouldn't make it out of this arena alive. Joke's on them. It's his turn to kill. Never mind that he would have to kill the girl he's loved for so many years. Never mind the boy who took nearly took away his leg and possibly the girl of his dreams. Their blood will be on his hands. He will feast on their deaths. No one's going to hold him down. No one will ever second-guess him ever again. No one will ever betray him. His heart that was reduced to pieces a few seconds ago is now stone-cold. They want to play a game? Then so be it. He would do everything and anything to go back home and look down on the people who didn't think he could. He will never love again.

He took one more glance at her. She collapsed on the floor and was staring at the open space, tears rolling down her face. _That's right, _he thought. _Cry now. Cry, because you won't have the chance to when you suffer my wrath. _A few hours ago, he would've emerged from where he was standing to comfort her, but now, he just wanted to see her suffer. She was obviously crying for her mistake with Cato, and he burned with rage. He could've killed her then and now, but _where's the fun in killing her slowly?_ He turned around, but not before lightning a match and setting the leaves on fire. He was sure that the gamemakers would get his intent. He stalked off to the direction where the other walked and followed behind his trail.

_You will burn, girl on fire – that much I promise you._

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_Scotch, _how he loved the burning sensation in his throat. It was what he needed to distract himself from what he saw on the screen. She was doing way beyond what he had expected from her. That action from the boy from two, confirmed that she was indeed, wanted and desired from men all over Panem. And now, she's more popular than ever – more patrons to give her what she needed if and when time came. She had done it, made herself irresistible to both boys - Both the monstrous boys from two and twelve wanted her. How lucky was he to have her as a tribute. Now more than ever, will she get the attention of all the cameras.

_Brilliant!_ He thought as he took another sip, feeling it travel down his throat, feeling the warmth once again. He filled another shot glass up with another one. He had started drinking eve since Katniss watched Rue died. He knew that she would go ballistic and in a way, she sort of did. He risked a glance at the television, only to see Peeta's face watching her intently. The glass came crashing to the floor, and the scotch spilled everywhere. The Avox that was standing close by came running with a rug.

"Leave it!" he screamed at her, barely containing the rage in his voice. "You may go," he hissed through his teeth, a little more sternly.

_This was not good, not good at all. _Peeta would turn on her. In the limited amount of time that he knew Peeta, he would turn on her for sure. In the very few meeting they had, Peeta would _always_ lose his temper. That boy had a good hitting arm - a deadly blow if delivered correctly. There was more than meets the eye with the boy with the bread. Peeta had a temper deep inside of him that no one but Haymitch knew. He could see it in his eyes as he watched the screen. Peeta looked as if he was calculating all the ways he could take her down in a fight and kill her. He could see how he narrowed his eyes and they turned dark as a small eerie smile appeared on his face. He would turn on her and Haymitch wouldn't be able to do anything to save her from his wrath.

But he still had one decision to make – he must choose which one of them will he save: _The girl on fire or the boy with the bread?_

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He threw everything in his reach, breaking everything that his hands would set on. His family tried to calm him, but it didn't work - it almost never did. They had never seen his this angry and it was frightening what he could do with those skilled hands of his.

"THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!" He screamed at them, standing his ground and staring at all of them. "I should've volunteered myself instead of letting that boy go through with it!" He growled, as he fought the urge to cry from what he felt. "Look at what they did to her! They reduced her to a wench that would go to any boy if she needed to! LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID TO HER!" He screamed, with so much ferocity that his younger sister started crying uncontrollably.

"Gale," his mother whispered, fighting back a sob. "I think it's time for you to take a walk outside, maybe? To calm yourself." She said, as she carried her daughter, patting her back to comfort her and stop her from crying.

Without arguing, he stomped off outside, keeping his eyes fixated on where he was going. He ignored all the whispers from the people around him as he passed. He knew they were talking about him and Katniss. He felt like vomiting at the sound of her name. This was not how it was supposed to be. He bent down and crossed the limited space of that the barbed wire gave him. He ran through the woods and bypassing all the snares that he set up the day before. He ran past through them and towards the clearing where they used to have lunch together.

He fell to the ground and took deep breaths to steady himself. He should've volunteered for Peeta and none of this would've happened. He should've volunteered himself – such a shame. _Coward! _He thought to himself. He was, indeed, a coward. He could've saved her – could've prevented her from becoming one of them. He could've kept her grounded! He could've prevented the kiss from ever happening! He punched the ground – an attempt to take the frustration out, but it didn't work. He continued punching the ground until he could no longer feel his knuckles, until they were black and blue. Not a single tear drop fell from his eyes. He couldn't feel anything.

For a moment, he thought clearly and knew that if she came home as a victor, it would be his job to protect her from whatever the Capitol might do. It would be his job to reverse the effects of the games and he knew just the way how to do it. _Her flame needed to be extinguished. _

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**A/N:** So tell me what you think! Is it nice? Or too boring? Or too out of character! Ahhh, I'm sorry. Tell me what you feel about it, please! Until the next chapter or another one-shot! x


	4. The Confrontation

**A/N: **Wow, I haven't updated in a really long time and I'm so sorry for that - nothing was coming to me and it was hard to find time to write with all the schoolwork that was piling up. I'm on my summer now so that won't be a problem anymore. If there are any grammatical errors, don't be shy... just tell me. And erm, I'm sorry if my chapters are short, but that's how I roll. If you want me to make a one-shot, leave a prompt in the reviews, and I'll get right to it. xx

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His eyes surveyed his surroundings – the forest. Trees were everywhere, but their branches seemed untouched. He was sure he saw the other boy stalk in this direction. He continued on, sure that he was going to find the boy sooner or later. He didn't exactly know what he would do, but he knew that if the time comes, he would have to kill him and he was ultimately more than fine with that idea. He kept his sword leveled, ready to strike at any moment's notice should anyone surprise him with an attack. He looked around as he moved further into the forest that seemed to go on forever. He kept as silent as possible, listening for any other possible movements aside his own. He had learned a few tricks from when he was with the careers. He was most definitely not going down without a fight. It was his turn to fight back – to kill and he knew it something he could do easily if he wanted to. He _could_ even be stronger than Cato, given the chance to prove it. He was always overlooked and no one thought of him as a threat. _Well, he'll show them._

His eyes continued scanning the trees as he stepped over the bushes and branches that blocked his way. There was still no sight of the monstrous boy of District 2. He could've easily been sighted if that were the case, but there was no sign of him. He kept his eyes open, searching for any evidence of his movement to his front, but there was nothing. There was no path that one monstrous Cato could've taken. _Odd. _He kept scanning what was North of him for any sign of the other, but his eyes found none. Giving up at the direction he was walking, he turned around and found himself, opposite the same boy who he was looking for. Cato wore an amused look, which was directed at Peeta. Peeta mirrored the same expression except the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"It's nice to see me again, isn't it?" Cato asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Cato surveyed the boy; he had grown thinner but more muscular. Peeta gave nothing away. Cato idly wondered what had happened to the cut on his leg. He was sure that he had wounded him in the right place, but seeing him here had made him think otherwise.

"As always, Cato," Peeta answered, laughing at Cato's expression. "Been busy?" He smirked at him, but his smug expression didn't reach his eyes. His eyes grew dark with anger and he was breathing deeper. "Heard you lost every single one of your pack – no one to hide behind now, Cato," Peeta threatened.

Cato's lips were set in a grim line and chose to ignore the latter statement. He stared at Peeta, a smile forming in his face. "As a matter of fact, I have been quite busy." Cato replied, grinning widely. "Of course, you would know." His grin got even wider. Cato watched Peeta fume on the spot, watched as he saw his hand grip the handle of his sword tighter. Cato laughed. "What are you going to do?" Cato smirked at him. "Kill me? Haven't you learned anything from the last attempt?"

"Oh, Cato. You underestimate me too much," Peeta laughed and smirked which was solely directed to him. Cato's eyes narrowed and pursed his lips. "I've learned a few things since your cronies died."

"You sure about that, baker?" Cato said icily, still staring Peeta in the eyes. Peeta's jaw tightened – Cato noticed it and smirked at him. "Have a little temper, Peeta?"

"Oh, what I would do to shut that mouth of yours," Peeta said, furiously. He was crouching much lower, getting ready to attack.

"Oh, your lover beat you to it?" Cato replied with a grin on his face, putting air quotes as needed when he said so. He laughed as he watched Peeta grow red with anger.

"Take that back you, animal!" Peeta shouted, causing the flock of birds to come flying out of the branches above them. "You don't deserve her!" Peeta shouted him with so much anger, it was reminiscent of a growl. His hand clutched his sword tighter. "You never will!"

"I don't have to!" he shouted back, standing more angular, making it seem like he was taller, more carnal. "Don't you understand? She _already_ is mine!" His blood heated as he enunciated each word.

"Yours?" Peeta scoffed. "Ha! Don't make me laugh."

Cato laughed and smiled at Peeta. "Have you kissed her?" Peeta narrowed his eyes as Cato's smile widened. "Felt her body against yours? Made her sigh? Made her knees weak?" Peeta's hand gripped the sword tighter. "No?" He raised his eyebrow, questioning the silent Peeta. "Then what does that make her? Mine."

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER!" Peeta shouted before Cato even finished his sentence. He fought the urge to lunge at Cato and tear his heart out. He was frustrated. He was irritated. Above all, everything in him was ready to explode with rage. He looked at the ground, and took a steadying breath. He ran his hand through his hair, combing it out of his face. At that moment, Peeta decided that _she _was worth it – that she was just brainwashed by the games, and that she needed him to help her. He made his decision – pushing all the confusion, all the hatred away and making it his sole duty to protect her from all darkness. _But the question remains, is she still savable?_

"She is mine. She will be mine," he looked up at Cato, his hold on his sword seemed to tighten even more as he regained his composure. He ignored the pain from his grip – that didn't matter to him right now. All he wanted was Cato's blood on his hands. Peeta looked him straight in the eye. "Or do I have to take her away from you?"

"I'd like to see you try," Cato retorted, laughing but the sound of a canon shut him up. His eyes widened and darted towards the direction he came from. "_Katniss,_" he whispered before he felt excruciating pain on his side.

He fell down, grasping his shoulder – blood flowing freely from his shoulder to the ground. A swift kick to his ribs made him howl in agony. Cato anticipated the next kick and grabbed Peeta's leg before it made contact with his body. Cato was too fast for Peeta to even react – Cato twisted his leg, hearing it crack and pushed Peeta away - Peeta's sword being thrown a few feet away. Cato staggered up, his hand not clutching his shoulder to stop it from bleeding.

"I could've made it painless, Peeta – killed you in one snap! I would have been merciful!" Cato growled, spitting at Peeta who was inching away from him, nearer to where his sword had landed. "I will make you feel every bone break from your body; every shallow cut. And I will sit, watching every drop of blood drain from your body."

Peeta felt his sword, and held it. Ignoring the pain from his leg, he stood up – taking a deep breath. He looked up and met the icy glare of Cato; Peeta's probably reflecting the same iciness. "Don't do me any favors," Peeta said, as he stood up straight. The adrenaline had slightly covered the pain coming from his leg. Still, he took no chances. All his weight was on the other leg. Peeta figure his chances were pretty good – he had gotten a good kick at Cato's ribs and the cut on his shoulder didn't seem to be doing him any good. "To the death – yours, preferably."

"To the death," Cato agreed. Both men raised their sword up, ready to strike.

An arrow was shot at that exact moment, and another a few seconds after. One arrow hit Cato's sword (and since it happened out of no where), his sword fell to the ground. The same happened to Peeta. There was a moment of confusion, before they turned their heads to where the arrow was shot.

Katniss stood, pointing her bow, ready to release. She never missed.

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**A/N:** Sorry, not sorry for ending it there. Who is she pointing it at? You'll just have to wait and see. Reviews are welcome. xx


	5. Mercy

**A/N:** Ah, shit! I forgot to mention in the last chapter that I was going to be gone for holiday (which is why I'm only posting this chapter now.) It is sort of hard to write when you don't have your laptop with you. Anyways, I was in Europe for a couple of weeks, and I'm sorry I forgot to inform you about it! But no worries, because it's here now.

Someone asked about how often I could give a review? Truth is, I'm not exactly sure – I write when I feel like doing so which means the time will fluctuate and I'm sorry I can't be more consistent. I will try, however, to make the time frame of the updates closer together so you won't have to wait too long. And I forgot to mention, that the length of the chapters will also vary since the point of views are going to change, meaning some will be objective (third person) and others will be subjective (first person) – it really depends on who I feel like writing. Oh, and please be reminded that they are out-of-character (most especially, Peeta) – seeing that this is truly the only way to keep the plot going.

A big thank you for the reviews, favorite, and follows! And enjoy reading the chapter. As always, please update and tell me if there are any grammatical errors or if you want me to clear something up for you. Oh, and don't be shy to give me a prompt on a pairing – whether steamy, angst, fluff, smut (you know, stuff like that!) Okay, let's get to it.

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Haymitch had sent her there with a cupcake and a note that said, '_Head east and the cupcake is crazy.' _What was that supposed to mean? And what's with the cupcake? Why would he send her a cupcake? She didn't need it – what she needed was real food. What was his problem? He was probably drunk off his ass again and didn't know what else to write on the note other than that stupid remark on the cupcake. She weighed her chances with the cupcake – on whether or not to eat it…She decided to take the risk because she knew that the games would turn her crazy either way. She was still thinking about the note as she finished the cupcake. Why would he pair a '_head east_' with something as stupid as '_cupcake is crazy'_. She didn't know what else to do but walk towards east. She slowed her pace when she saw what looked like a clearing; she heard two masculine voices in an argument. She moved in with stealth, barely making a sound. She readied a bow, in case they spotted her. She sidestepped behind one of the trees as she noticed that the two voices belonged to someone who she was very familiar with.

The tension between the boys was so thick that they failed to realize that someone was watching their argument, hidden by the trees. One boy was monstrous in size – towering over the other like a giant. The other boy was smaller but bulky – his arms sculpted like that of a god's, as if one punch would be deadly enough to make anyone who was at the receiving end, unconscious. Hands gripped swords tighter, and their muscles rippled under. Their stares were icy-cold as they spoke – or should I say – growled words at each other. As the boys sized each other up, the tension grew thicker by the second. Cato stared down at Peeta, who looked like he was going to explode at any second.

Katniss watched, entranced by their argument. They were fighting over _her_? She wasn't special – or so at least she thought. She wasn't beautiful, sexy like the girl from district one – she wasn't even intelligent. What did she have that both caught their attention? Clearly, she didn't catch theirs in the moment, but what was it with her that attracted them? As she watched the interaction between the boys, these questions ran through her head, remaining unanswered. And for the first time in her life, she was confused. Confusion was, in fact, a feeling that she didn't like having. She never liked being clueless about anything – she pitied people who did nothing because they did not know what was happening. Was this real? Was she being set up? All these questions with no clear answer bothered her that her focus was no longer with the boys, but with these questions.

Her reverie was interrupted by the sound of a canon from where she came from and the raspy voice of the Cato saying her name as if acknowledging her. Her hand flew up her mouth, silencing her from her screaming to warn Cato as she watched Peeta, with no hesitation, swipe his sword to Cato's arm, cutting flesh. Cato fell to the ground, grasping his shoulder as it was an unexpected blow. Peeta took two big strides, only to kick Cato in the chest. The sound that Cato made was one of utter pain, and prompted Katniss to grab a bow from her back and line it on her arrow. What exactly went through her to made her do such a thing – she didn't know. All she knew was that she had to stop the fight before someone whom she cared about, died – but whether it was Cato or Peeta, she didn't know. She just had to stop it. She moved closer to the clearing with her bow ready. Peeta readied for another kick to Cato's head. She blinked at the sight, but when she opened her eyes again, Peeta was howling in pain, and on the floor. Cato was staggering up to his feet.

Things were said – something about mercy but Katniss couldn't hear anything but the sound of her blood pumping through her head. She wasn't paying attention to what they were saying at this point – all she knew that there was a conflict with her mind and her heart. She didn't know what to do – she didn't know whom to shoot. They were both standing up now, clutching their swords. Katniss knew that if she didn't decide now, both would be dead – which was a good thing since they were both her opponents but that didn't matter to her now and it irritated her a bit. Her thoughts went back to the parachute that she received a while ago, and it all clicked into place. In a moment's decision, she shot the arrow to Cato's sword, and wasted no time reloading her bow with another arrow to shoot Peeta's. Both swords fell with a clang on the ground, a few feet away from them. Both the boys' heads turned to where the attack came from, only to be met with her ready bow.

Chests heaving, Peeta eyed the bow that was pointed directly at him – his heart, specifically and he grew tense as realization dawned on him. His jaw hardened, making his face look colder, but only for a second. He put on his most hurt and innocent face, and gripped his leg. "What do you think you're doing? I'm not the bad-guy. He is! He attacked me. Kill him, Katniss!"

Katniss narrowed her eyes at the boy whom she thought she knew. and her fingers flexed at the string. At the corner of her eye, she could see that Cato made a move towards her, and her aim shifted to Cato. "Don't you dare move a single inch if you don't want an arrow through your eye." Cato smirked, impressed by her tenacity. He put his hands up in defeat, and took a step back. She turned back to Peeta, who had a smug expression. "And don't be so coy, Peeta. I heard everything, and I got a little something from Haymitch. It seems like I can't trust you too."

Peeta's posture changed and his eyes darted to where his sword lay, and back again to Katniss. "Whore," Peeta spat at her, earning a cringe from her. Her eyesight was blurred by tears, which she refused to let fall. She kept her arm steady, and fought the urge to shake. "Him – of all of people? You disgust me. You-"

He never got to finish his sentence. Cato tackled him to the ground, threw a punch right at his gut. "Don't speak to her like that," he snarled. Katniss was surprised by Cato's reaction, but made no attempt to move. Peeta doubled over in pain, and spit out blood. Peeta countered Cato's attack, and pushed him away. Cato came at him again, but given that Peeta's leg was in pain, he couldn't move away. He had to face it head-on. Punches were thrown, curses filled the air – Katniss watched the two of them, unmoving. Cato caught Peeta's neck in a grip – his killer move. Peeta was struggling against him, trying to free himself – to get air. But his struggles were useless, as Cato would not budge. He became weaker with the loss of air, and he was growing paler by the second.

"Stop," she whispered and Cato searched her eyes and let go of him. Peeta was on his knees, gasping for air as Cato held him up by his hair.

At some point, she had lowered her arrow and held it to one side. She took a few steps towards them and stopped a step away from Peeta. He looked up at her – blue eyes facing gray. His eyes depicted a series of emotions – anger, hurt, sadness, regret, and most of all, disgust. Katniss kept her mask up, and raised her hand, only to bring it to his face with a loud slap. She spat at him. "You disgust me," she turned away and started walking away from him.

"Do I kill him?" Cato asked, not knowing what to do. He would kill him, but only with her permission.

Katniss stopped, and turned back. "No," she said, "Death is given to show mercy. He should have none. Let him suffer."

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Was that as good for me as it was for you? Hahaha look at badass, ruthless Katniss. Heh heh heh I already have a couple ideas for scenes in the next chapter… and wouldn't you like to know them? You will be able to… soon! Adios and don't forget to review! xx


	6. Kisses

A/N: So I've started writing this much earlier than expected and it's only because I felt the need to write (and oh my goodness I need to stop reading Tomione fics – please tell me if you ship them too because we can be best friends!) Anyways, I'm quite happy with the flow of this story for now, and I'm quite surprised with myself for having actually continue it – I think that is quite a show of my maturity. Anyways, I won't leave you hanging. I'm having a bit of a problem, because I don't know whether to change this to M or to keep it at T. Review your thoughts, please!

As always, please review and tell me if I made any grammatical errors because even if I proofread – my eyes will probably miss a few things. Oh, and a big hug to all the new followers of this story there! If you want me to write anything, all you have to do is leave a prompt in the review or send me a message – I'll be glad to do it. And here we go:

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"Do I kill him?"

The words slipped out of him before he could even stop himself. Why was he asking her permission? What did it matter to him? From the day he started training to be a tribute, he was taught that there was only one ending to any fight – a death that was most certainly not his. From day one, he was taught not to have feelings. He was not compassionate; he was not merciful. The weak don't survive – the strong do. From day one, this was all he was taught. He was destined to win – to bring glory to his family and his district once more. To be added to an endless list of victors stemming from District Two. Was that not enough for him? All he knew was strength – all he was, was ruthless. He was strong, good looking, and cunning. He knew how to win, that should've been enough. And yet, in the little time that this _girl_ had come into his life, he had gravitated towards her – felt the need to defend her honor – to dare he say it – protect her?

The realization as to why he had asked her permission came to him like a bucket of cold water being splashed to his face – he needed her affirmation of his death - he didn't want to hurt her. He knew that the boy was of some sentimental value to her. He wanted, no, craved for more of her. And he could only have more, if he played nice and this was exactly what he was doing… but then, he wasn't always good at paying the nice guy. Some time soon, the beast would have to be unleashed.

Her eyes met mine briefly, before looking at her _lover_ boy with an icy stare – he fought the urge to smile. "No," she said, "death is too easy for him. Let him suffer."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he no longer fought the urge to smile. Peeta was struggling to get out of Cato's hold, but couldn't do so. Cato threw him to the ground, face first and spat at him. "Until the next time," he growled. "Hope that I don't find you alive because believe me, she won't be able to stop me from killing you the next time I see your _lover_ boy face." He stomped on his leg rather forcefully before adding a swift kick to his ribs. "Later, _lover_ boy."

He jogged in the direction of where she was walking but he couldn't find her. _Where was she? _He looked around but his eyes found none. He smiled. _Thought she could evade him easily, could she? _He almost laughed. He sniffed – and found her scent. At that moment, he sent a thank you thought to his mentors who had given him senses training as a precaution. He kept walking forward, keeping his eye out for her, but nothing. His eyes found no sign of life. It was like she disappeared, and yet he kept walking forward.

Everything happened too quickly even for him. One moment he was walking forward, the other he was pinned with his back to a pretty thick tree and an arm (that was not his) on his neck, keeping him still. He smiled at her effort to keep him there, but knew that his weight could overpower hers if he wanted. Still, he made no movement because he was curious to see what would happen and what his little minx had in mind. _His minx_ – did he really just think that? He shoved that thought off, when he looked down and saw grey eyes.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked in a mad whisper. "What game are you playing at, Two?"

_Ah, she addressed him by his district number – how dry, _he thought. He could only smirk in response, and when she put "more" weight into where her arm was pinning his neck – he could only smile and say, "I could ask you the same thing, Katniss."

Her eyes narrowed and nostrils flared at the sound of her name. How dare he use her name! How dare he come in, unwanted, and leave her like this – leave her foolish. "Who allowed you to use my name?" She said, her voice laced with anger.

His grin widened when he thought of the perfect response? But before he could say his perfect reply to her, he grabbed hold of her hand, and flipped their positions so that it was him, holding on to her and her body pinned to the tree with his. She could feel every muscle pressed against her and his heat enfolding her. Every breath she took was engulfed by his smell. And finally, there was the fluttering once again – the butterflies that she wanted to kill were back. it didn't help that his hands were pinning hers down to the tree. It didn't help that her hands were tingling with anticipation as to what he would do to her. And it definitely didn't help that she was fighting the urge to press back towards him.

"Who allowed me to kiss you? Nobody," he answered himself, bringing his face down so that he could stare into those grey eyes. "But I still did it and look at where it brought us now," he said with a hint of amusement in his tone. Her mouth opened slightly to show her shock and Cato definitely noticed this. He took advantage of it, obviously – something that he was taught to do. And he was quite skilled at taking advantage of any situation, especially situations where, he could get something in return.

With that, he kissed her. She went still, expecting it but not quite. She closed her eyes, wanting for all of it to disappear and yet at the same time craving for more. Her hands fisted at her sides, only to be let go by his hands. Yet, she couldn't find it in her to push him away. His hands trailed up arms, and down her body in reverence.

Without even realizing it, she tilted her head back and that was all it took for him to kiss her more deeply, to stroke his tongue with hers. Her hands were at his side, pulling him closer as if they weren't close enough. She kissed him back, matching his ferocity and he groaned as their tongues met in a dance. Her hands went up to his arms, feeling every muscle there. They continued their journey up to his hair, before going back down to his sides, keeping him there. She was overcome by him, and she loved it.

He broke away from her, and she moaned by the loss of contact. She felt him there – she felt him close. She couldn't open her eyes – she didn't have the courage to. Her breathing was now deeper, coming in unequally. He kissed her chastely before moving down to her neck. A shiver ran through her, as he placed an open kiss to where her pulse was. If it were another time, she would have been embarrassed because her pulse was probably racing, but nothing could change the moment. He sucked on it, marking her. He grinned as he heard her moan.

And before she knew it, his mouth was back on hers. One of his hands was now on the back of her thigh, lifting it up and curling it around him. She caught on and kept it there, as if they were doing an erotic tango. She bit his bottom lip, and was rewarded with a growl before he took her top lip between his teeth as well.

Yes, this was definitely a dance for lovers. Neither wanted to break apart, and neither did. They stayed there, passionate heat emanating from them. The makes allowed them to continue for a few more minutes as it was enough to keep the viewers entertained, but as they say, all good things end, and they were going to make sure that this would happen at the right time.

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This one's quite short, I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to end this with an air of mystery, you know? Alright then, please do tell me if I have to change the rating. I don't want to scandalise anyone. And don't forget to review and to tell me if there are any corrections. Also, I'm thinking of doing a dramione fanfic though I do need your approval? Or actually, I don't know.

I hope you enjoyed this and that you didn't miss me too much. xx

Note (05/19/13): Changed the rating to M, oh and I'm currently in the process of writing a Tomione fic but it's just the first chapter and I'm almost done with it - I'll be updating this fic within the week.


	7. Interruption

A/N: A couple things, I've changed the rating of this to an 'M' because of obvious reasons that Cato was probably a sex god in District Two and had his way with all the ladies because he was tribute, that's why. And also, I would like to tell all of you that your reviews are wonderful and they kept me entertained, especially the one that went 'let them at it' or something to that extent. It made me smile and giggle like the fangirl that I am.

Another thing, I have started my Tomione fic so please just bare with me on the update and time because I have to update them both, but don't worry because I'll be able to handle it. ALSO, HELLO TOMIONE SHIPPERS. YAY FOR SHIPPERS THAT SHIP THE BAD GUY AND THE MAIN GIRL. Gotta love that sexual tension between them! Exhibit A: Catoniss HMMMM yea~

Oh, and I've changed my username but it's still the same me! Just another (funny as hell) username. I love my bb, Abraxas, ok? 3 3 3 We're in that level of a relationship where make fun of each others names because we love each other too much (lol what am I even saying?) Okay, let's get to it!

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More.

More, that's what she needed. She needed more of him. She grabbed his sides, and crushed him to her as if she couldn't get enough. She was rewarded by the grounding oh his body to hers which elicited a groan from him. There was too many layers separating the two of them and they couldn't get any closer. Instead, he took advantage of the little skin that was showing from her body. He broke away from her, panting. He opened his eyes, to find her still close. She, too, was panting. He needed _more. _He brought his hand up to her face, ignoring the pain that had shot through his arm for he was numbed to anything that wasn't her. She leaned into him, nuzzling his palm.

And at that moment, he knew that he couldn't let her go no matter what. He would kill for her - do anything to keep her there, in his arms. He wanted her, all of her. He would risk his life to save hers. In the little time, they had been together - he had come to the conclusion that he was hers and she was his. And somehow, amidst the situation, this had made sense to him.

She opened her eyes, and their gazes locked. She could see the fire in him and he, in her. They both knew what they wanted but neither took the opportunity to take it. Slowly, he brought his thumb to caress her swollen lips. Slowly and never breaking eye contact, he rubbed back and forth. The fire in their eyes was still intensifying - they were delaying their pleasure and they both knew that it would be worth it. Her hips began to rub against his, and he growled at the friction she caused, earning her a delicious pump from him. A small smile appeared on her face when she heard it and began to press her hips more onto his, still moving her hips in a manner that drove him crazy.

She looked into his eyes, and saw that they were darker. He looked dangerous, but she was drawn to them - to him. She opened her mouth which caused his thumb to go in, and she closed her eyes and licked it oh-so slowly. He cursed under his breath, not expecting that to happen. His eyes grew darker, and they narrowed. He licked his lips at the sight of her. He moved his thumb out of her mouth and lunged. Both hands were holding her head, fingers entwining themselves at the strands of her hair. They moved down her body to the backs of her thighs. Roughly, he pushed her up and wrapped both legs around his hip and ground into her.

If she couldn't feel his need before, she certainly could now. The moment his pelvis contacted her, a moan escaped her mouth for it was exactly what she needed. He pressed into her harder, as her hands found his hair. Roughly, she pulled his head back and licked up his neck to his lips. His tongue darted out to meet hers, but failed for she was too fast. Her teeth found his bottom lip, and pressed against it before taking back his mouth.

And they heard a branch crack, coming from be area of where Cato was facing.

Their eyes flew open. They looked at each other, both of them with eyes wide open. They stared at each other for a moment, before Cato smirked. Katniss returned his smirk, and understood what he was going to do. Cato mouthed, "_Three, Two, One." _

Cato placed a chaste kiss on her lips before letting her slide down his body, making her feel every inch of his the front of it, and she licked her dry lips before taking her hands off his body.

"What about, I'll go get us something to eat before we continue?" Cato announced quite loudly so that anyone in the vicinity could hear. "You must be hungry."

The underlying meaning did not go unnoticed by Katniss, especially with the rasp in his voice. She smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll stay here by the tree," she answered, and he turned to walk away but she noticed that his arm had not been fixed. "Wait! Come back," she said, getting to her knees and looking through her knapsack.

He raised his eyebrows and decided to indulge her. He walked back to her, and kneelt down with her. She was rummaging through her pack, and found the burn cream and a piece of cloth. She looked back at his face, then to his shoulder and that was when he realized what she was doing.

He felt a tug in his stomach – a pleasant tug, and he genuinely smiled at her. No one had treated him like this – not here or even in District Two. They had taught him to fend for himself. If he scarred himself, then he would have to either live with it or fix it. They were taught that way so that they could survive at any given situation so the fact that Katniss was willing to do this for him made his heart swell.

She poured a little water on the wood to take out some of the dirt so that it wouldn't get infected. Then, she spplied the burn ointment because it might help (somehow?) she didn't really know but she had a good feeling. She placed the cloth over it and tied it around his arm. And finally to finish it off, she placed a kiss on his shoulder - a promise for the _more_ that was interrupted by the watching eye that was probably (Cato's guess) about five feet behind the tree Katniss was leaning on.

"I'll be back," Cato said with a foolish grin on his face. Normally, Katniss would have opted to hunt, but she knew what he was doing so she sat down and watched him walk away, not at all staring at his gorgeous but firm ass.

Katniss closed her eyes when she couldn't see Cato anymore, listening to any movements in the area. She didn't hear anything… yet but she knew that the attacker would come from behind the tree – and the tree was thick enough to conceal her from the other tribute and it was thick enough for her to climb up without anyone knowing.

She also knew that she wouldn't be able to hear Cato because even with his size, his movements were stealthy so that eliminated the fact that she could get confused by sound of two people. She didn't even understand how a man his size couldn't make any noise – Peeta was always attracting attention to him when he walked around.

She heard the bushes move behind her, and estimated the movement to be about a few feet away and she smiled. If the tribute was being careful so that he/she could surprise attack her, then she would have a a minute or two (max) to climb up the tree. She stood up rather quickly, and began climbing, silently thanking the makers that it was thick enough to hide her body (but then again, anything can hide her body for it was so very thin.) She also thanked God or whoever the deity was that the tree was not the type to make a cracking sound when she climbed up. In less than a minute, she was already above the ground and perched on a branch.

She heard the bushes move, and turned around to spot a tribute from district four with a knife at the ready. Once he was out of the area with bushes, he began moving quickly to the back of the tree with a smile on his face but determination written in his eyes. _He was going to kill me, _she thought and smiled to herself. _Surprise, surprise. _The boy was walking around the tree. And in less than five seconds was jabbing the bottom of the tree where Katniss was supposed to be sitting.

The boy had such a confused look on his face that Katniss started laughing, causing him to look up. Before he could realize what was going on, a spear had pierced his body from the direction where Cato came from. Her laughter stopped. Katniss watched the boy die, and couldn't seem to tear away from the gaze of his eyes. The boy was now on the ground, dead. Cato, on the other hand, had his eyes on Katniss and saw the dread in her eyes. He saw how her face paled and how she stopped breathing for a moment.

He walked towards the tree, and waited for her to come down, trying to think of what went wrong. He couldn't have done anything – what else were they supposed to do? She knew that he was trained to kill – trained to survive. And there was absolutely no way I hell that he would have let the boy kill her. He couldn't have let the boy run free – he had to die in order for them to win.

_Them? _How could they both win? He shoved those thought aside – to the back of his head. He knew that the time would come in which they would have to decide on who lives and who dies. But he didn't know that his heart already decided for him – his mind was too slow to know what his heart was feeling. He would let her win, all because she had created something in him that he would never be able to get if he got out of the arena with her blood on his hands. There was no way he could win and be happy at the same time. But then, he didn't know that yet.

She took a deep breath – she should be used to seeing all the death. She should be used to it already. She mentally hit herself in the head for being so pathetic. But it had been his eyes – the eyes of the boy that died. It was as if he was staring into her soul – as if telling her that what Cato and her were doing was wrong. The dread, the panic, the disgust started to settle, but she couldn't stop now.

Katniss had gotten a taste of Cato. Surely, she couldn't stop now. Could she?

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HE HE HE sorry I couldn't give you what you wanted! But maybe I'l give it another time? Eh? Just kidding. You'll have to wait because I plan to write more chapters... and to keep you on your toes.

Reviews are always welcome. x


	8. Plans

**AN: **Aaahhk! I'm sorry that I didn't upload a new chapter last week. I was swamped with photoshop and tumblr. I had too many feels for somethign that was never supposed to give me any feels in the first place. And tbh, I didn't have feel like writing until last night so I hope this will make up for the late upload!

And once again, please don't be afraid to tell me if there are any grammatical errors - they are always welcome. My eyes hurt and I don't think I read through it well. Reviews are appreciated, as always. Thank you and happy reading!

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"Yes, it seems like Katniss has captured the attention of both boys from two and twelve. They seem to keep us on the edges of our seat, wanting more from the forbidden trio. I wonder who she'll choose in the end!" the booming voice of Caesar echoed through the recording zone, causing some of the production staff to jump.

"Isn't it obvious? Hasn't she chosen the boy from two – er, what's his name?" Claudius Templesmith said, his voice laced with enthusiasm as if he was so sure of his answer which he was not – it was a script that he had to memorise and say perfectly as always.

"Oh, you mean, Cato? You never know! Maybe that's what she wants everyone to think!"

"You've got quite a point. It might be a strategy of some sort. She is a smart girl… but then again, look at her eyes. You can see the passion in them… but in your opinion, who do you think she'll choose?"

"Not quite sure. Why don't we ask the most important people – the viewers!"

"Right. Now, all of you at home, watching the Hunger Games… who do you think Katniss will choose? The charming boy from twelve? Or the bloody brutal boy from two? Details will be flashed on your screen after this segment on how to vote and how to send some parachutes!"

"There is, of course, a need to hurry for we don't know how much longer this love triangle will last."

"Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, has not only captured the hunks from two and twelve, but the hearts of the Capitol citizens, as well."

"That's all the time we have now. Let's get back to the arena cameras. Don't forget," he paused for a dramatic effect, smiling as the whole room went silent as he smiled his popular smile. "May the Odds be ever in your favor!"

"And a happy 74th Hunger Games to all of you!"

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Gale almost broke the projector as he was watching the reports – he wanted to but he didn't to scare his siblings and his mother who all left as quietly and quickly as possible. They did not want to witness another episode of Gale's anger.

There, Gale sat glowering at the table, thinking of the interview and the scenes that lead up to it. How dare they make her into some kind of whore! The games had changed her. Gone was his Catnip to be replaced with the girl on fire. Yet there was something in him, hoping that this was just a façade – that there was more to her – that the girl he was watching was just an act.

Mixed emotions spread through him as he thought of all the times they spent in the woods, in the clearing. He thought of all the times he was so close to telling her what he really felt; so close to just kissing her – feeling her lips on his.

No.

He stopped himself from thinking even further. This was not a time for daydreams. He wasn't his Catnip until she could prove him otherwise. He looked around the empty room and glad that his family wasn't there. He couldn't handle seeing his mother cry even if it was her fault that he was alive. He had been on the edge ever since that first kiss and every one in District Twelve (even the Peacekeepers) knew that it was wise to stay away from Gale.

They all thought that if he were chosen for the games, he would emerge victor. They knew all about his adventures with Katniss in the woods and his physique made him suitable for a fight. He towered over nearly everyone in the district and was stronger than any of the boys there – and obviously more skilled.

… but he never volunteered even when his best friend had been chosen. He didn't even think about it until she was taken from his arms during their last goodbye. It was stupid of him to let her go just like that.

* * *

The girl was smarter than he thought. He took another sip of the tequila. He welcomed the burn of his throat as it distracted him from everything else. A person would only think that he would have died years ago by the amount of alcohol that he'd ingested. Although, of course, the people in his district knew that it was drinking that kept him alive and away from those terrible nightmares.

This was his coping mechanism. He idly wondered what Katniss would turn to. _Katniss – _the girl on fucking fire. What the hell was she doing? He didn't know. He knew that the boy from two had something going for Katniss but he wasn't too sure. After all, Cato wasn't as sly as Peeta – his glances weren't at all sly.

What was Katniss playing at though? He didn't tell her to fucking fall in love inside the arena. He only meant for the star-crossed lovers – not the match made by hell. He was so sure that Cato was going to kill her – after all, the tributes from two never show mercy, never show compassion, never show emotion. What the hell was he going to do then?

He then looked at the situation form a different perspective – his drunken mind doing something other than throbbing. His brain somehow thought of Peeta and how sincere his feelings were for Katniss. He was quite sure that it wouldn't reverse that quickly. The boys could kill each other before giving Katniss up, wouldn't they? He attempted to slap his head at the revelation, but missed completely and ended up hitting nothing but air. He then realized that this would only happen if Cato's feelings for Katniss were true which he would have to take a closer look on while he was watching.

He, on the other hand, had ignored Peeta, and it wasn't accidental in any way. He knew what Peeta was capable of – knew that he could do anything, kill anybody given the right motivation. He wasn't as week as he seemed. He saw this boy in action during the wrestling meets. He knew what he was capable of. He always knew that he was going to be the only coach for a long time. he had gone to every wrestling meet to see the potential tribute. Although, Haymitch knew better than to think of him as a winner, he knew that Peeta's anger would blind him enough to do something stupid and get himself killed and that's exactly what he was doing when he challenged that Cato character to a duel.

Did Peeta really think he could win against a tribute like Cato? It was suicide! It's a good thing that Katniss decided to step it when she did.

He needed Katniss to win. He needed another person to know what it feels like to be a pawn Haymitch knew who he was rooting for as soon as Katniss volunteered to take her sister's place. To have guts to actually take her place, he knew that she was going to be as ruthless as any of the tributes there to make it out alive. His confidence on her strengthened when Peeta confirmed that she was an amazing archer. He had a winner in his hands.

of the games – no matter what she did. He was going to make sure that she won. He already bet on her from the beginning, giving her all the parachutes that she needed – no longer minding Peeta. He thought back to their dinner. His mother was right – District Twelve did have a chance at winning and it wasn't Peeta at all.

Katniss would win the Hunger Games.

Katniss would come out alive.

Katniss would be his savior.

* * *

"Yes, Pres—" he was cut off by the authoritative tone that the man on the other line had made - the one that he never wanted to hear ever again . The tone that sent any one shaking just by the sound of it.

"Tell me again that you have it in control," the man on the other line said, pausing. Seneca could only imagine his expression as he talked to him on the phone. "Tell me again, I dare you. You know I don't tolerate incompetence well... and I most especially have a hatred for white lies."

"Sir, I promise to you that I will have this problem fixed," Seneca said, trying to reassure the man on the other line.

"See that you do, Cane," Snow said. He could almost smell the roses – he could taste it from his fear. He knew what the consequences were. "The fire must be extinguished. The citizens are being given too much for my liking."

"But sir, I think we should build up on this romance so that when it comes crashing down in the end, every one will be devastated," he replied, hoping that the president will accept his plan. "They know better than to attempt, sir."

"Yes, but tell me this: how, then, will the crowd react when one of the lover dies? What, then, will happen when both lovers die because of the girl?" the man on the other line asked with an icy tone. Seneca's face drained of all color as he realised what Snow was implying. "Will that not prompt other people to die for her as well?"

There was a silence that filled the monitor. Seneca was no visibly shaking, trying to breathe but found that he could not. _That won't happen now, would it? She's just a girl! She couldn't start anything even if she wanted to. But her fear of the Capitol was no longer there... unless there was something in his reach that he could harm - the reason why she landed on his arena in the first place._

"Don't test me, Cane. You know very well what I am capable of doing."

"Don't worry, sir. I have things under control. You see...," he then started talking about his plan and he could almost feel the approval from the president.

He tasted it - the roses, the approval, the victory.

It was there...

_ready for him to take._

* * *

Reviews are welcome as they spurr me on! Don't worry, more Catoniss in the next chapters - I just needed to add this in for now. x


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